Inkstone, pen, ink, and paper are collectively known as the four treasures of the traditional Chinese study and are essential tools for Chinese calligraphy. What are the tips for using the inkstone? The following is the content I compiled about the use of the inkstone. I hope you like it!
How to use the inkstone
Daily water storage: the inkstone also needs to be moistened. It is necessary to change the water every day to store it. The inkstone should not be short of water. People in the past called it "Yangyan"
The water must be changed when using it: use a small pot to drip water on the surface of the inkstone, and then grind it with an ink pad. Note that hot water may damage the ink.
Washing after use: After using the inkstone, the remaining ink must be washed away, and it must not be allowed to condense on the inkstone. Otherwise, the remaining ink will dry out and form slag, which will hinder grinding, damage the pen surface, and damage the surface of the inkstone. If it is mixed with new ink, there will be no benefit in placing ink or making ink. When washing, you can use a loofah and other objects to help, but do not wipe hard with hard objects to avoid damaging the smooth inkstone surface. If it needs to be taken out, it is best to dry it in the shade and do not wipe it with paper to avoid residues remaining and mixing with the ink.
Light grinding of new ink: New ink has sharp edges and corners. If you grind it hard, it will easily damage the surface of the inkstone. Just grind it lightly when using it.
Take out the ink: After grinding the ink, you must take out the ink. Do not put it in the bubble, otherwise the ink and the inkstone glue will be sticky and difficult to remove, and the surface of the inkstone will be easily damaged. If it accidentally sticks, you can first moisten it with clean water, rotate the ink in place, and then take it out after it becomes loose. How to identify inkstones
Look: Look at the quality, workmanship, quality, inscription, decoration, whether it has been repaired, etc. If the inkstone has been repaired, the color of the repaired area will always be different from the original color of the inkstone.
Touch: When you get an inkstone, you can touch it with your hands. If it feels smooth and tender like a child's skin, it means the stone is of good quality; if it feels rough, it means the stone is of poor quality.
Knock: Hold the surface of the inkstone empty with five fingers and hit it gently, or flick the inkstone with your fingers and listen to the sound. If it is a Duan inkstone, the sound of wood is the best, followed by the sound of tiles, and the sound of gold is the worst. These three different sounds reflect the tenderness and age of the Duan inkstone respectively. The clear and crisp metal sound of Sheshi inkstone is the best when struck. If the sound is "Puff, Puff", it means that the stone is made of mud, or the stone has dark scars, and it is of low quality.
Washing: It is best to clean the inkstone, especially the ancient inkstone because the ink marks on the surface of the inkstone cover up the natural beauty of the inkstone, and it is also difficult to tell the age of the pit, so the inkstone needs to be washed away Check the inkstone to see if there are any scratches or repair marks on the inkstone.
Weigh: Weigh the weight of the inkstone with your hands. Generally speaking, for stone inkstones of the same size, they are tightly cemented and have fine particles; if they are light, they are loosely cemented. The weighing method is especially suitable for She inkstones.
Engraving: The first thing to consider when choosing an inkstone is the quality of the stone. Those who are familiar with inkstones can immediately feel the quality of the inkstone by lightly carving a few lines on it. Maintenance of the inkstone
1. It is best not to pour ink into the inkstone, but to use ink blocks to grind the ink.
2. It should be cleaned in time, not necessarily every time, but it should be cleaned every two or three times, or when the remaining ink feels thicker, it needs to be cleaned.
3. When cleaning, you must use soft materials or use your hands. Although hard materials are easy to clean, they will make the surface of the inkstone rough and uneven, which is not good for the inkstone itself and the ink block.
4. Pine smoke ink and oil smoke ink have different properties. It is best to use two inkstones separately and should not be mixed.
5. The inkstone can be kept in water regularly, but if it is not used for a long time, it should be wrapped in newspaper and placed in a dry place. (One step in making an inkstone is to soak it in water, but the newly made inkstone is placed in a fiberglass cover to prevent moisture.)
6. A good inkstone should be equipped with high-quality ink blocks. Poor-quality ink blocks may scratch Injury to the inkstone.